This is a great thread and I had to throw in here as I am putting in a new electronic distributor,
coil, plugs and wire set in my 57'.
The new distributor doesn't seem to have any mark on the cap or anything I can find for the #1 plug marking, and there are NO marks on my pulley for TDC. Good times.
Going by the
shop manual of the distributor wire placements and plug wires maybe the new distributor is not on correct? It does not have the snap clips for the cap like old distributors do, but a push in screw and twist bracket (you can see the two screws on the top cap). So, is #1 still just to the left of the clip? Maybe I need to rotate the distributor?
View attachment 25064
I am going to go through the usual tricks to find TDC since I have no marks on my pulley, ... a whistle tool, take the valve covers off and watch the lifters on #1, etc.
What's the best way to turn the crank by hand? disconnect the fan belt so the fan blade is not moving? Right now, I use a remote starter to just slowly turn my crank over by bumping it slowly around, but you cannot go in the reverse direction with that. If you take all the plugs out, obviously you can turn the crank much easier.